Lesath/Battles
First Battle of Lesath
| First Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction |  Automatons
|
| Start Date | Apr. 9th |
| End Date | Apr. 10th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | |
| Group | The Reclamation |
| Casualties | 4 million Hellldivers K.I.A. |
| Major Order | Related / The Reclamation |
| Summary | Lesath captured by Automatons |
Background
After the annulation of the Automaton menace in the Severin Sector following Operation Swift Disassembly, the Federation of Super Earth believed they had concluded the war with the Automatons. Celebrations were held all across Federation space, while Helldivers across the stars cried out with rejoice over the defeat of their enemy. The President of Super Earth had made plans to provide an official announcement to the end of the conflict. However, the Ministry of Intelligence held a different story. They had received disturbing reports of cloaked Automaton vessels in hiding at the furthest corners of known galactic space. An investigation was conducted but ultimately the Ministry of Intelligence was too late. Only one day later, the Automatons launched a full-scale surprise invasion on planets in the Valdis and Lacaille Sectors. Super Earth Armed Forces were caught off guard and in mere hours several planets swiftly fell in every sector to the cold mechanical hands of the Automatons.
Among these victims was Lesath within the Lacaille Sector.
Strategy and importance
Originally small colonial world, Lesath became of grave importance due to its proximity to Menkent and Vernen Wells, the latter of which, if captured, would cut off reinforcements and critical supplies to the defense of Menkent.
Holding Lesath thus became a priority to assure Vernen Wells could not fall under attack from Automaton forces.
Battle
The first battle for Lesath came following initial SEAF High Command orders to holt the Automaton advance through the Lacaille Sector and into the Hydra Sector. However, two of the four systems within the Lacaille Sector had already fallen, with reinforcements being directed to the defense of Menkent in the Hydra Sector. Thus the First Battle of Lesath ended with staggering losses. Those Helldivers that deployed to Lesath did their best to evacuate what essential personnel and civilians they could, but they were unable to hold the line against the Automaton forces and were ordered to withdraw within the following day.
The First Battle of Lesath ended with over four million SEAF casualties. However, the defense of Lesath was enough to weigh down the Automaton advance onto Vernen Wells, allowing for its successful defense.
Second Battle of Lesath
| Second Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction | Automatons
|
| Start Date | Apr. 10th |
| End Date | Apr. 12th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | |
| Group | The Reclamation |
| Casualties | 6.5 million Helldivers K.I.A. |
| Major Order | No |
| Summary | Automaton's continued to hold Lesath |
Background
Across the region, worlds were falling left and right. Lesath was among these casualties. SEAF and Helldiver forces attempted every strategy to hold and reclaim worlds in a desperate attempt to buy time for High Command to produce a response plan.
Strategy and importance
While already captured to Automatons, many Helldivers desperately attempted to break their stronghold over the planet to prevent further Automaton assaults towards Vernen Wells. However many considered Lesath a loss and refused to take the planet due to their presence being required elsewhere.
Battle
The Second Battle of Lesath was considered by many to be a waste of valuable resources and assets. Despite this, many Helldivers took to the field in a desperate attempt to reclaim Lesath to prevent Vernen Wells continued assault. However, Automaton forces had dug deep into the planet and established well defended garrisons too strong for such a small force of Helldivers to take. The battle was thus considered a loss.
Third Battle of Lesath
| Third Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction | Automatons
|
| Start Date | Apr. 12th |
| End Date | Apr. 14th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | |
| Group | |
| Casualties | 15 million Helldivers K.I.A. |
| Major Order | Halt the Automaton Advance |
| Summary | Lesath liberated, Menkent Line establishment. |
Background
Following the staggering losses across the Valdis, Lacaille, Hydra and Andromeda Sectors, SEAF High Command issued a Major Order that would focus Helldiver efforts to shore up the defenses within the region and begin reestablishing dominance over nearby worlds. The plan was to establish the Menkent Line an effort to not only retake key worlds vital for future operations, but also prevent further Automaton advance into core Federation worlds.
Strategy and importance
Lesath was vital within this plan, as it alongside Menkent, were chosen to be reclaimed and reinforced with a variety of orbital defenses to prevent further Automaton incursions.
Battle
The Third Battle of Lesath was an offensive one. Nicknamed the "Lesath Line", Helldivers were directed to assault the planet and eradicate Automaton garrisons to make way for SEAF Engineers to develop the orbital defenses for the Menkent Line. The foggy, tundra world of Lesath once again became the battleground between Helldivers and Automatons, with the Helldivers particularly making use of the cold to cool their energy weapons rapidly as they fought through the Automaton infested landscapes.
Ultimately Lesath would be taken shortly after the initial seizure of Menkent. With reinforcements pooling in from Menkent, Lesath was successfully seized and became key to the establishment of the Menkent Line. Those Helldivers that arrived after their deployment of Menkent found the conditions of Lesath much more preferable, though remarked they wished they brought their wooly capes after garrisoning the planet.
The Battle of the Broken Line
| Fourth Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction | Automatons
|
| Start Date | Apr. 19th |
| End Date | Apr. 20th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | |
| Group | The Reclamation |
| Casualties | 3.5 million Helldivers K.I.A. |
| Major Order | Defense on Two Fronts |
| Summary | Lesath contested to Automaton assault. |
Background
After the successful liberation of Lesath and establishment of the Menkent Line, Lesath fell under the protection of the SEAF orbital defense network to help prevent further Automaton incursions.
Strategy and importance
While initially held, Lesath would come under attack a second time by a Automaton strike force that managed to break through the Menkent Line with brute force. Lesath became their target and would fall under orbital bombardment from the Automaton invaders. Helldivers and SEAF forces worked tirelessly to defend Lesath, in order to prevent the Automatons from gaining a foothold behind the Menkent Line. This forth battle would become known as the Battle of the Broken Line.
Battle
Lesath came under swift attack from the Automatons breakthrough fleet. Orbital defenses failed, allowing the Automatons to land ground troops that began cutting through SEAF engineers and civilians alike. Helldivers were swiftly deployed but could do very little as the Automatons forces were simply outnumbering them. Reinforcements were unable to reach them due to an even worse fate falling over the region as a whole, as shortly after Lesath was attacked, the Menkent Line fell, and all hell broke loose across the region. The Forth Battle of Lesath was ultimately a loss. Despite this, Helldivers continued fighting upon the world to evacuate as many as they could and hold what territory upon the planet they still had.
The Fifth Battle of Lesath
| Fifth Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction | Automatons
|
| Start Date | Apr. 26th |
| End Date | Apr. 27th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | Operation Legitimate Undertaking |
| Group | The Reclamation |
| Casualties | |
| Major Order | Yes |
| Summary | Lesath liberated from Automaton forces. |
Background
The Battle of the Broken Line was an unfortunate swift defeat for the Helldivers and SEAF. Shortly after Lesath's invasion, both the Automatons and Terminids launched a colossal joint attack in both respective regions of the known galaxy. Helldiver and SEAF forces were spread thin across both regions, leaving less-strategically-sound planets such as Lesath to the mercy of the Automatons. Shortly after Lesath's fall, others would soon follow, with Vernen Wells exposed to attack, Menkent suffering the same fate as the orbital defenses failed, and other nearby planets in nearby sectors began falling as well.
Strategy and importance
The importance of Lesath would become apparent during the Fifth Battle of Lesath, in which Operation Legitimate Undertaking was enacted. SEAF High Command discovered that weapon caches located on the worlds of Penta and Choohe in the Lacaille Sector. Lesath was once again selected to become a major staging ground for a Major Order, as Lesath stood before the Penta System, which housed a research facility that was constructing a new Support Weapon for Helldiver forces, known as the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher. In order to acquire this weapon, Lesath had to be taken first.
Battle
The Fifth Battle of Lesath was one of the largest liberation campaigns ever conducted. Hundreds of thousands of Helldivers stormed the planet, swiftly cutting down the Automatons who had once again garrisoned the world and liberated it from the cold robotic hands of the mechanical menace. As swiftly as Lesath fell, so too would it be reclaimed. The Fifth Battle of Lesath thus concluded in a Federation victory. From then on, Lesath became a staging ground for a number of Helldiver units, particularly those who'd participate in Legitimate Undertaking to secure their newest support weaponry.
The Sixth Battle of Lesath
| Sixth Battle of Lesath | |
|---|---|
| Faction | Automatons
|
| Start Date | May 10th |
| End Date | May 12th |
| Planet | Lesath |
| Operation | |
| Group | The Reclamation |
| Casualties | |
| Major Order | Related |
| Summary | Lesath assaulted by Automaton forces. |
Background
Lesath was believed to be well defended now after so many incursions. However, with the outbreak of the Terminid Supercolony on Meridia, the majority of Helldiver forces were directed towards the Terminid front. This gave ample time for the Automaton's to regain their strength and collect their forces, which gave way to the Sixth Battle of Lesath.
Strategy and importance
Having not been apart of a Major Order since the enactment of Operation Legitimate Undertaking, Lesath became of less strategic value following the seizure of Penta. This was proven correct when Automaton forces launched a strike against Lesath, once again attacking SEAF Engineers and other restoration forces deployed to the planet. Helldivers were quick to respond, but without objective purpose, few came to the defense of Lesath. Lesath would fall to the Automaton's once more, however, the following day saw High Command release a new Major Order. Automatons were to be scrapped and used as parts to restock much needed supplies for civilian engineers who were designing the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines, the blueprints of which were recovered despite the unfortunate failure to reclaim Choohe.
This Major Order gave proper cause for Helldivers to redeploy to the Automaton front.
Battle
Having just been taken by Automatons, Lesath became the primary focus for redeploying Helldivers. Once again, Helldivers stormed Lesath to seize it from the Automatons. Although this time they were taking Bots for their own purposes now rather than just leaving them to freeze in the snow. Lesath was swiftly reclaimed by Helldivers, thus the Sixth Battle of Lesath ended in an outstanding victory despite the initial loss of the planet.